Business of the House

Debate between Lucy Powell and Jo White

Thursday 9th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

I also express our deepest condolences to Jordan’s family and friends. I know that consular officials are in touch and supporting his family. While I would not want to encourage people to go to Ukraine in that way, I absolutely share this Government’s commitment to ensuring that Ukraine wins in this war against Putin’s illegal aggression. We will do whatever it takes to support Ukrainians in that endeavour.

[Jo White (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

I have tabled an early-day motion calling for Disclosure and Barring Service checks for all Members of both Houses.

[That this House believes that all Parliamentarians should be subject to a Disclosure and Barring Service check when they take their place in the House of Commons or House of Lords.]

That would make us all feel safer in the corridors of power, but more importantly, would give the institutions we visit—such as care homes and schools—much greater confidence in who they are letting through their doors. My submission to the Modernisation Committee also makes that proposal. Would the Leader of the House support such a proposal?

[Lucy Powell]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising this issue, and for writing to me and to the Modernisation Committee about it. I absolutely understand her motivation —to ensure that the House of Commons and, indeed, the wider Parliament is a safe place for people to work, and that our constituents and others can feel safe in their interactions with us. That is why over recent years, we have developed more robust systems around those issues, and we are looking further at them. However, I say gently to my hon. Friend that we need to strike a balance that ensures we can also represent our constituents freely and openly.

Business of the House

Debate between Lucy Powell and Jo White

Thursday 5th September 2024 Commons Chamber

[Madam Deputy Speaker]

Before I call anyone else, Members will be aware that over 50 people want to ask a question, so please keep questions short. I call Jo White.

[Jo White (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

Like my right hon. Friend, my constituent spent hours on Saturday queuing to purchase Oasis tickets. He got two at the hyper-inflated price of £800, tickets that were originally on sale for £150 each. Lengthy queuing puts people under significant pressure to purchase tickets and potentially make rash financial decisions that they may later regret. The insurance industry is required to provide a 14-day cool-off period to give people space for reflection. Will the Minister consider widening the forthcoming consumer protection Bill to include such a clause dealing with dynamic pricing ticket sales?

[Lucy Powell]

I know that my hon. Friend speaks for many millions, myself included, who over the weekend shared the experience of spending hours in a queue—a very British thing that we like to do—only to find that the tickets we were able to get came at a hugely inflated price. I am pleased that Oasis have now announced further dates, and that there will be a non-queuing system and a fixed price for those tickets, but she is absolutely right. This Government are committed to putting fans back at the heart of music, which is why we will have a consultation on secondary ticket pricing and ticket touts this autumn. The Culture Secretary has made it clear that, as part of that consultation, we will look at the issue of technology as it relates to queuing systems and the dynamic ticket pricing that my hon. Friend has talked about.

Business of the House

Debate between Lucy Powell and Jo White

Thursday 25th July 2024 Commons Chamber

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. I am afraid that local bus services are woeful in most parts of the country because, in many cases, they are privately run and desperately underfunded. That is why this Government were so committed to ensuring that the bus reform Bill was included in the King’s Speech. It will be introduced in due course, and I think that it will revolutionise bus services in my hon. Friend’s constituency and across the country.

[Jo White (Bassetlaw) (Lab)]

Will the Leader of the House allow time for a debate on the failure of Conservative-controlled Nottinghamshire county council to build the desperately needed expansion of Outwood academy Portland, a secondary school in Worksop, despite the £4.5 million of community infrastructure levy money I received in April last year when I was Bassetlaw district council’s deputy leader?

[Lucy Powell]

My hon. Friend raises a very important matter. Building new schools, and meeting schools’ needs in her local area, is absolutely critical to this Government’s mission of making sure that there is opportunity for all, which is the priority of our Education Secretary. I am sure that my hon. Friend will take every opportunity to raise this issue in Education questions, which is coming up. If not, I will make sure that she gets a good reply from the Minister.